aa

A1A1
UK/ˈɑː.ɑː/UK[ˈɑː.ʔɑː]US/ˈɑ.ɑ/US[ˈɑ.ʔɑ]

noun

A form of lava flow associated with Hawaiian-type volcanoes, consisting of basaltic rock, usually dark-colored with a jagged and loose, clinkery surface. Compare pahoehoe.

Similar
Alcoholics AnonymousAssociate in Arts
Very commonFirst used 19ᵗʰ c.Scrabble 2

Meanings

aa1

nounaa (uncountable)

alternative a'a · alternative 'a'a · alternative 'a'ā · alternative a-a · alternative a aa · alternative a-aa

  1. uncountablegeographyA form of lava flow associated with Hawaiian-type volcanoes, consisting of basaltic rock, usually dark-colored with a jagged and loose, clinkery surface. Compare pahoehoe.First known use 19ᵗʰ c.

    We...saw ‘pahoihoi’ or solid lava forming, and also ‘aa’ or clinkers.

    1859, R. C. Haskell, American journal of science and arts, series XXVIII
    2 more examples

    Cooling and solidification frequently takes a different course [...] in lava flows, producing the clinker-like ‘aa’ lava.

    1944, Charles A. Cotton, Volcanoes as landscape forms

    Both pahoehoe and aa lava flows are common on the upper slopes of Mauna Loa with a preponderance of aa flows found at the lower elevations.

    1981, Hilo Lava Flood Control: Environmental Impact Statement, page 194

aa2

noun
  1. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of acetic acid.
  2. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of acting age.
  3. abbreviationinitialismmedicineInitialism of alveolar-arterial.
  4. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of aminoacetone.
  5. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of amino acid.
  6. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of approximate absolute.
  7. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of arachidonic acid.
  8. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of armature accelerator.
  9. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of ascending aorta.
  10. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of atomic absorption.
  11. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of author's alteration.
  12. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of average audience.
adjectiveaa (not comparable)
  1. abbreviationinitialismnot comparableInitialism of arctic-alpine.
  2. abbreviationinitialismnot comparableInitialism of always afloat.

aa3

nounaa pl (plural only)
  1. abbreviationpluralplural onlyAbbreviation of adjectives.
  2. abbreviationpluralplural onlyAbbreviation of arteries.

aa4

adjective
  1. abbreviationAbbreviation of ana (“of each, equal parts”).

aa5

pronoun
  1. NorthumbriapersonalI.

AA6

nounAA (countable and uncountable, plural AAs)

plural AAs

  1. countableuncountableA member of Alcoholics Anonymous.

    In a letter to Cohen, written between 1956 and 1961, he reported hearing gossip about his LSD use in AA circles. He reminded Cohen about "the desirability" of omitting his name "when discussing LSD with AAs". Cohen reassured Wilson that his LSD trials did not include other active AA members.

    2012 August 23, Amelia Hill, “LSD could help alcoholics stop drinking, AA founder believed”, in The Guardian
  2. countableuncountableAn AA battery (energy-storage device).

    It’s also tough to keep on top of charging all the batteries needed. The remote takes standard AAs, but the drone has a huge lithium battery that charges with a special wall unit.

    2014 January 1, Kit Eaton, “Civilian Photography, Now Rising to New Level”, in The New York Times
    1 more example

    Whether your camera takes AAs or a unique, proprietary battery, you should always have a spare. […] You will not be able to walk into a local supermarket and buy a new one as you can with AAs.

    2005, Rob Sheppard, Digital Photography 1, 2, 3: Taking and Printing Great Pictures, New York: Lark Books, →ISBN, page 52
  3. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of affirmative action.
    1 more example

    Some of the rules guiding these nominations are affirmative action (AA)¹ policies intended to increase the influence of and to encourage nomination of women and minorities. […] A review of the extant literature on AA and its effect on decision-makers produces competing hypotheses about the potential impact on female candidates seeking party nomination.

    2016, Angela L. Bos, “The unintended effects of political party affirmative action policies on female candidates’ nomination chances”, in Zoe M. Oxley, editor, Gender and Political Psychology, Routledge, →ISBN, pages 73–74
  4. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of air armament.
  5. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of air attaché.
  6. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of aircraft apprentice.
  7. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of aircraft artificer.
  8. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableaeronauticsInitialism of absolute altitude.
  9. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablegovernmentInitialism of anti-aircraft.

    They're setting up an AA battery. That thing'll tear the Dawn apart... We'll wait for you to take the shot.

    2007 September 25, Bungie, Halo 3, Microsoft Game Studios, Xbox 360, level/area: The Ark
  10. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablegovernmentInitialism of avenue of approach.
  11. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablegovernmentInitialism of assembly area.
  12. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of airman apprentice.
  13. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of absolute alcohol.
  14. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablehuman sciencesInitialism of achievement age.
  15. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of acting appointment.
  16. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of adoption agency.
  17. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of armament artificer.
  18. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of athletic association.
  19. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of author's alteration.
  20. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of aviation annex.
  21. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableengineeringInitialism of angular aperture.
  22. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablechemistryInitialism of amino acid.
    1 more example

    All proteinogenic amino acids (AAs) are claimed to be levorotatory (L-configured). Nevertheless, dextrorotatory AAs (D-configured) are also found in nature (Gao et al., 2015; Ollivaux et al., 2014), for example, in the organic material of extraterrestrial comets (Cronin and Pizzarello, 1983), or, formed by slow racemization, in all dead biological material.

    2011, Alexander Cartus, “D-Amino Acids and Cross-Linked Amino Acids in Food”, in Dieter Schrenk, Alexander Cartus, editors, Chemical Contaminants and Residues in Food, Woodhead Publishing, →ISBN, page 251
  23. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablechemistryInitialism of aminoacyl.
  24. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablechemistryInitialism of acetic acid.
  25. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablechemistryInitialism of acrylic acid.

    For copolymers of ethylene, the other comonomer can be an alkene such as propene, butene, hexene or octene, or a compound having a polar functional group such as vinyl acetate (VA), acrylic acid (AA), ethyl acetate (EA), methyl acrylate (MA) or vinyl alcohol (VOH).

    2006, Gordon L. Robertson, “Structure and Related Properties of Plastic Polymers”, in Food Packaging: Principles and Practice, 2nd edition, CRC Press, →ISBN, page 25
  26. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablechemistryInitialism of amyloid A.
  27. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablechemistryInitialism of arachidonic acid.

    Arachidonic acid (AA) is present at unusually high levels in the phospholipids of inflammatory cells. […] IgG-mediated phagocytosis results in the preferential release of AA over other fatty acids²³ via activation of cPLA₂ and iPLA₂.

    2005, Michelle R. Lennartz, “Phospholipases and Phagocytosis”, in Carlos Rosales, editor, Molecular Mechanisms of Phagocytosis, Landes Bioscience / Eurekah.com; Springer Science+Business Media, Inc., →ISBN, page 106
  28. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablechemistryInitialism of ascorbic acid.
  29. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablechemistryInitialism of asymmetric aminohydroxylation.
  30. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablebiochemistryInitialism of acetaldehyde adduct.

    The two tests presently in this category are the blood tests carbohydrate deficient transferrin (CDT) and hemoglobin or whole blood acetaldehyde adducts (AA). […] Measurement of AA in the blood has also generated a great deal of recent research interest.

    1995, Raymond F. Anton, Raye Z. Litten, John P. Allen, “Biological Assessment of Alcohol Consumption”, in John P. Allen, Megan Columbus, editors, Assessing Alcohol Problems: A Guide for Clinicians and Researchers, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, →ISBN, page 36
  31. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablebiochemistryInitialism of adrenal androgen.
    1 more example

    Although the ovaries are the main source of androgen excess in PCOS, excess adrenal androgen (AA) levels (e.g., dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA] and adrenal-secreted androsteredione [A4]) and adrenocortical dysfunction have also been observed in many patients with PCOS (2–6). Proof of the role of AA excess in the development of PCOS is circumstantial at best.

    2007, Bulent O. Yildiz, Enrico Carmina, Ricardo Azziz, “Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal Dysfunction in the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome”, in Ricardo Azziz, John E. Nestler, Didier Dewailly, editors, Androgen Excess Disorders in Women: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Other Disorders, 2nd edition, Totowa, NJ: Humana Press, →ISBN, page 213
  32. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablebiochemistryInitialism of antiandrogen.
  33. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablechemistryInitialism of antioxidant activity.
    1 more example

    Antioxidant activity (AA) is one of the main and most acclaimed properties of edible oil, and the antioxidant properties of EVOO have been extensively highlighted (Tuck and Hayball, 2002; Vissers et al., 2004). AA is usually estimated by monitoring the scavenging of a free radical by antioxidants that lead to either the inhibition of a chemical reaction or the changes of reaction rate constants in an ongoing radical reaction.

    2017, Xiuzhu Yu, “Spectroscopic Methods for Analysis of Edible Oils”, in Adriana S. Franca, Leo Nollet, editors, Spectroscopic Methods in Food Analysis, CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, →ISBN, page 528
  34. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablechemistryInitialism of atomic absorption.
  35. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablechemistryInitialism of activated alumina.

    Activated alumina (AA, or γ-Al₂O₃) is an amorphous aluminium oxide prepared by dehydrating Al(OH)₃ at high temperature, […] Arsenic removal on AA is strongly pH-dependent, and is optimal between pH 5.5 and 6.0, which often requires acidification, and subsequent neutralisation to prevent corrosion.

    2009, Peter Ravenscroft, Hugh Brammer, Keith Richards, “Removing Arsenic from Drinking Water”, in Arsenic Pollution: A Global Synthesis, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 272
  36. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableimmunologyInitialism of anti-antibody.
  37. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableanatomyInitialism of ascending aorta.
  38. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableanatomyInitialism of abdominal aorta.
  39. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableanatomyInitialism of aortic arch.
  40. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablemedicineInitialism of acute appendicitis.
  41. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablemedicineInitialism of allergic asthma.
  42. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablemedicineInitialism of alopecia areata.

    The existence of many autoimmune concurrent diseases supports that AA is an autoimmune disease. […] The incidence of type I diabetes in AA is intriguing; it is decreased in AA patients and increased in their relatives.

    2012, Yoshihiro Kuwano, Manabu Fujimoto, “Alopecia areata and chemokine”, in Victor R. Preedy, editor, Handbook of Hair in Health and Disease, Wageningen Academic Publishers, →ISBN, page 203
  43. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablemedicineInitialism of anaplastic astrocytoma.
  44. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablemedicineInitialism of anastomotic aneurysm.

    An anastomotic aneurysm (AA) is an aneurysm that occurs at an anastomotic interface between a graft and an artery. […] Recently, it has been recognized that an increasing number of AAs may in fact be true aneurysms occurring at the junction of a prosthetic graft and an artery.

    2004, Alexander D. Shepard, Gary M. Jacobson, “Anastomotic Aneurysms”, in Jonathan B. Towne, Larry H. Hollier, editors, Complications in Vascular Surgery, 2nd edition, New York: Marcel Dekker, →ISBN, page 139
  45. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablemedicineInitialism of aortic aneurysm.
    1 more example

    This issue of Circulation has an interesting contribution from Reed et al,¹ who advance the point of view that aortic aneurysms (AAs) are “caused” by atherosclerosis. […] The authors propose two arguments in support of a “causal” relation between atherosclerotic risk factors and the development of AAs.

    1992 January 1, M. David Tilson, “Aortic Aneurysms and Atherosclerosis”, in Circulation, volume 85, number 1, →DOI, page 378
  46. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablemedicineInitialism of aplastic anemia.

    Aplastic anemia (AA) secondary to radiotherapy presents a difficult situation in the treatment of both the malignant tumor and AA itself. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of avatrombopag (AVA), a thrombopoietin receptor agonist, in patients with AA secondary to chemoradiotherapy.

    2023 January, Yarong Chi, Qinglin Hu, Chen Yang, Miao Chen, Bing Han, “Avatrombopag is effective in patients with chemoradiotherapy-induced aplastic anemia: a single-center, retrospective study”, in Experimental Hematology, volume 117, →DOI, page 62
  47. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablemedicineInitialism of arterial aneurysm.

    Arterial aneurysms (AA) are local out-pouching of a blood vessel wall. […] According to the statistics, 90% of all AA are located in the anterior segments of the circle of Willis and only 10% in the posterior segments (Dandy 1944; Zlotnik 1967).

    2009, Valery N. Kornienko, Igor Nicolaevich Pronin, “Cerebrovascular Diseases and Malformations of the Brain”, in Diagnostic Neuroradiology, Springer, →ISBN, page 199
  48. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablemedicineInitialism of arytenoid adduction.

    If the paralysis is unilateral, arytenoid adduction (AA) procedures can be done to medialize the complex and arguably improve the results of an implant medialization.⁷⁹ An AA arytenopexy can reconfigure the ipsilateral arytenoid for improved glottic closure, if needed.^(1,80)

    2017, Mausumi N Syamal, Michael S Benninger, “Vocal Fold Immobility”, in KK Handa, editor, Textbook of Voice and Laryngology, New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers, →ISBN, page 75
  49. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablegovernmentInitialism of anesthesiologist assistant.
  50. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablegovernmentInitialism of anesthesia assistant.
  51. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablecomputer graphicsInitialism of antialiasing.
  52. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of African-American.

    For example, among AAs “spell” refers to a trance state in which individuals can communicate with deceased relatives and which is associated with brief periods of personality change (American Psychiatric Association 1994).

    2015, Davor Zink, Bern Lee, Daniel Allen, “Structured and Semistructured Clinical Interviews Available for Use Among African American Clients: Cultural Considerations in the Diagnostic Interview Process”, in Lorraine T. Benuto, Brian D. Leany, editors, Guide to Psychological Assessment with African Americans, Springer, →ISBN, page 19
  53. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of Asian-African.
  54. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of Asian American.
    1 more example

    Asian Americans (AAs) constitute the fastest growing group in the United States, yet health promotion in this population is severely hampered by its invisibility in the U.S. population. […] This chapter will address each of the four factors that contribute to the lack of knowledge and health information about AAs.

    2007, Marjorie Kagawa-Singer, Jung Hee Han, “Asian American Health and Disease: An Overview”, in Michael V. Kline, Robert M. Huff, editors, Health Promotion in Multicultural Populations: A Handbook for Practitioners and Students, 2nd edition, SAGE Publications, page 414
  55. USabbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablegovernmentInitialism of administrative assistant.
    1 more example

    But Wilson's loyal administrative assistant, Charlie Simpson, felt that he couldn't put up with it anymore. […] “I have to learn how to be a congressman and you need to learn how to be an AA [administrative assistant],” Wilson had told Simpson. “And this is the first thing we have to do.” […] The experience left the AA believing that perhaps the two of them shared a special destiny.

    2003, George Crile, Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent Changed the History of Our Times, New York: Grove Press, →ISBN, page 186
  56. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of associate administrator.

    I've worked at NASA as a graduate student working as a summer intern, and as an AA. Those are two of the most valuable experiences in my life.

    2011, “S. Alan Stern”, in Rebecca Wright, Sandra Johnson, Steven J. Dick, editors, NASA at 50: Interviews with NASA's Senior Leadership, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, →ISBN, page 139
  57. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of assistant adjutant.
  58. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of academic adviser.
    1 more example

    The AA said that given my background in English studies and applied linguistics, my introductory course in phonetics would be waved. Three of the four courses the AA prescribed included computer assisted instruction, which I eventually dropped due to overload, English language teaching methodology and psychology of second language learning.

    2013, Yeno M Matuka Pierre, Through the Eye of the Needle, Xlibris, →ISBN, page 121
  59. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableeducationInitialism of Associate in Arts or Associate of Arts.

    He returned to community college and earned an A.A. while working as an E.M.T. and plans to become a paramedic or a nurse. He attributes much of this to his faith.

    2022 March 15, Ilana M. Horwitz, “I Followed the Lives of 3,290 Teenagers. This Is What I Learned About Religion and Education.”, in The New York Times
    1 more example

    “I’m still figuring out my plans, but going back for another year is in my plans. I would be going back and getting my AA [degree], while playing another year of softball,” Enright said.

    2020 March 20, Colin Peters, “Coaches, athletes react to sports being put on pause”, in Daily Iowegian, archived from the original on 01 Apr 2020
  60. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of appropriate authority.
  61. BritishEnglishabbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablelawInitialism of appropriate adult.
    2 more examples

    An AA, who was a trained social worker, also felt that the volunteer AAs should be shown greater respect by the police (GMS14). At the same time, there was some awareness that AAs were unpaid among the private police staff, as one commented that she tried to be particularly nice to the AAs because of their volunteer status (e.g. SNS7).

    2011, Layla Skinns, Police Custody: Governance, Legitimacy and Reform in the Criminal Justice Process, Routledge, →ISBN, page 61

    The initiative will draw on some 200 existing volunteers under the Appropriate Adult (AA) scheme, run by the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (Minds), from Jan 30. […] "These AAs are trained by Minds, and we believe they will enable our investigation officers to better communicate with drug offenders with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder or mental health issues," he said.

    2017 January 18, Ng Huiwen, “Drug offenders with special needs to get support”, in The Straits Times
  62. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablebusinessInitialism of account aggregator.

    The RBI had in 2016 approved a new class of NBFCs to act as account aggregators (AA). These AAs will play the role of providing services based on the explicit consent of individual clients.

    2019 July 29, Neha Alawadhi, Karan Choudhury, “Account aggregator to make applying for loan less cumbersome for users”, in Business Standard
  63. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablebusinessInitialism of appointed actuary.

    Appointed Actuaries (AAs) are entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining solvency position of the Company. […] However, the existing arrangements of AAs and Mentors not complying with these guidelines may continue till June 30.

    2016 March 22, “Insurer can't transact new biz sans Appointed Actuaries: Irdai”, in Business Standard
  64. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of approximate absolute.
  65. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablemathematicsInitialism of arithmetic average.
  66. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablegovernmentInitialism of Association Agreement: a treaty between the European Union, its member states and a non-EU country that creates a framework for cooperation between them.

    In addition, bilateral relations with the diverse countries of the South, which were “divided in their unity,” were also given a boost, as negotiations on new EU Association Agreements (AAs) got underway, as AAs were signed with all EMP countries except Syria by the early 2000’s.

    2018 November 14, James Moran, “What Future for the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood Policy?”, in The Cairo Review of Global Affairs
    1 more example

    Following the AA's enactment in June 2004, some institutional reform took place with the aim of enhancing the competitiveness of Egyptian products. […] The AA reflected a long-term and a rather broadly defined consideration of economic and social development and the process of market transformation in Egypt.

    2013, Amr Adly, “External factors and state reform”, in State Reform and Development in the Middle East: Turkey and Egypt in the Post-Liberalization Era, Routledge, →ISBN, page 200
  67. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablebusinessInitialism of against actual.
  68. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablelifestyleInitialism of approach anxiety.
  69. Hong KongabbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of agent assistant; an assistant of a real estate agent.
  70. UKabbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablepensionsInitialism of annual allowance.
  71. abbreviationcountableuncountablegymnasticsAbbreviation of all-around.
  72. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablebroadcastingInitialism of average audience.
proper noun
  1. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of Alcoholics Anonymous: a self-supporting organization of alcoholic people.

    She said, “I'm an alcoholic, just like my mother was. It's a struggle, but I haven't had a drink in a while.” That was something she hadn't meant to say, something she had never said outside of an AA meeting. But, after it had been said, it felt like as good a way to start as any.

    2013, Edward Kelsey Moore, The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat, Alfred A. Knopf, →ISBN, page 284
  2. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of Academy Awards: a recognition of excellence in cinematic achievements, given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

    Like a true AA follower (as in Academy Awards, not 12 steps), I never cared for Oscar parties. Somebody always talked through the songs or Vanessa Redgrave's speech or the costume parade, in which elegant runway models were forced to dress up as the farmers in Places in the Heart.

    1995 April 4, Bruce Vilanch, “Working the AA program”, in The Advocate, number 678, page 67
  3. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of Addicts Anonymous.
  4. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of Al Ain.
  5. abbreviationinitialismaeronauticsInitialism of American Airlines: a major American airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.
    1 more example

    Alas, I fear, Netflix will soon break my heart. And it's an American icon that is warning me: American Airlines (AA). ¶ You see, middlemen are dying. Sabre, the former AA subsidiary that is now an independent global distribution system (GDS) supplying travel agencies and online travel agencies with ticket and pricing information, recently announced it was raising the rates it charges on AA tickets.

    2012, Kaihan Krippendorff, “Today's Business Revolution”, in Outthink the Competition: How a New Generation of Strategists Sees Options Others Ignore, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 21
  6. abbreviationinitialismaeronauticsInitialism of Aerolíneas Argentinas.
  7. abbreviationinitialismaeronauticsInitialism of Ansett Australia or Ansett Airways.
  8. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of Air Almanac, a publication.
  9. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of American Anthropologist: the flagship journal of the American Anthropological Association, founded in 1888.
  10. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of Acta Astronautica: a scientific journal founded in 1955, covering fields related to the peaceful scientific exploration of space.
  11. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of Aluminum America, a corporation.
  12. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of The Aluminum Association: a trade association for the aluminum production, fabrication and recycling industries.
  13. USball gamesDouble-A: the second-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball after Triple-A (AAA).
  14. USabbreviationhistoricalinitialismball gamesInitialism of American Association: an American minor league baseball league from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997.
  15. UKabbreviationinitialismautomotiveInitialism of The Automobile Association: a British motoring association founded in 1905.

    As we have said before, never accept an AA increase – if you phone up and threaten to leave they will, in our experience, drop it back to the previous price. Or better still, just keep switching provider each year. LV’s cover is a good alternative.

    2020 January 1, Miles Brignall, “Sit back, do nothing and the AA will double your bill”, in The Guardian
  16. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of Alzheimer's Association: an American volunteer health organization focusing on care, support and research for Alzheimer's disease.
  17. USabbreviationhistoricalinitialismInitialism of Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers.
    1 more example

    In the American steel industry, only two labor organizations were of any great significance in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These were the Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers (The A.A.), and the Knights of Labor. The A.A. was formed in 1876 when the United Sons of Vulcan, composed of iron puddlers and boilers, joined forces with several smaller unions of rolling mill hands and other skilled iron workers.

    1985, James Holt, “Trade Unionism in the British and U.S. Steel Industries, 1888-1914: A Comparative Study”, in Daniel J. Leab, editor, The Labor History Reader, University of Illinois Press, →ISBN, pages 170–171
  18. USabbreviationinitialismrail transportInitialism of Ann Arbor Railroad.
  19. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of Arlington Annex.
  20. USgovernmentUSPS military code of Armed Forces – Americas.
    1 more example

    • APO/FPO AE ZIPs 094-098 — Space Available Mail, Nov. 26; Parcel Airlift Mail, Dec. 3; Priority Mail, Dec. 10; First Class Mail Letters and Cards, Dec.10 and Express Mail Military Service, Dec. 18. • APO/FPO AA ZIP 340 — Space Available Mail, Nov. 26; Parcel Airlift Mail, Dec. 3; Priority Mail, Dec. 10; First Class Mail Letters and Cards, Dec. 10 and Express Mail Military Service, Dec. 18. • APO/FPO AP ZIPs 962-966 — Space Available Mail, Nov. 26; Parcel Airlift Mail, Dec. 3; Priority Mail, Dec. 10; First Class Mail Letters and Cards, Dec. 10 and Express Mail Military Service, Dec. 18.

    2010 October 29, Bill Shrum, “Shipping to soldiers for the holidays”, in Stuttgart (Arkansas) Daily Leader
  21. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of Army Act.
  22. RussiaabbreviationdatedinitialismInitialism of aviatsionnaya Armiya.
  23. abbreviationinitialismnatural sciencesInitialism of Antiproton Accumulator: an infrastructure connected to the Proton–Antiproton Collider at CERN.
  24. alternativehuman sciencesAlternative form of A∴A∴.
    1 more example

    In Magic in Theory and Practice, Crowley explains his other Order, the Silver Star (Argentinum Astrum), which certainly does have such a degree. The AA is a totally secret occult organization in which any member should know only the person who initiated him or her and those whom he or she has initiated.

    1999, James R. Lewis, Witchcraft Today: An Encyclopedia of Wiccan and Neopagan Traditions, ABC-CLIO, →ISBN, page 219
  25. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of Anna's Archive.

    This specific paper isn't available on AA, but to whom it may intrigue I think this works: […]

    2023 July 7, the-printer, “Tea as Hepatoprotective Agent: A Revisit”, in Hacker News, archived from the original on 30 Aug 2024
  26. abbreviationbusinessAbbreviation of Alcoa.

    Similarly, Alcoa (AA)CEO Klaus Kleinfeld has also dropped plans to attend, but the company will participate, said spokeswoman Monica Orbe.

    2014 May 2, Mark Thompson and Aaron Smith, “U.S. presses CEOs to skip Russia’s Davos”, in CNN Business
adjectiveAA (not comparable)
  1. abbreviationinitialismnot comparableaeronauticsInitialism of anti-aircraft or anti-air.
  2. abbreviationinitialismnot comparableaeronauticsInitialism of air-to-air.
  3. abbreviationinitialismnot comparableanatomyInitialism of atlantoaxial.

    AA joint; AA instability

  4. abbreviationinitialismnot comparableanatomyInitialism of arterioarterial.

    AA anastomosis

  5. abbreviationinitialismnot comparablehuman sciencesInitialism of Afro-Asiatic.
  6. abbreviationinitialismnot comparablehuman sciencesInitialism of Austroasiatic.
verbAA (third-person singular simple present AAs, present participle AAing, simple past and past participle AAed)

present singular third person AAs · participle present AAing · participle past AAed · past AAed

  1. abbreviationinitialismtransitivecomputer graphicsInitialism of antialias.

    Vector images can be considered to have extremely high resolution, so it is possible to AA them.

    2003 June 25, Ilari Liusvaara, “Re: I have a Linux Desktop dream, desktoplinux.com”, in comp.os.linux.advocacy (Usenet)
    1 more example

    On the other hand, edge AA in EF2000 didn't make much difference because only the objects were AAed and they made up only a very small percentage of the screen area.

    1999 September 12, Darin Genereux, “Re: "Anti-Aliasing vs. More Polygons" teapot page has been UPDATED”, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.video (Usenet)

Aa7

proper noun
  1. Several waterways in Europe.
    1. A river in northern France, flowing 93 km from near Bourthes, Pas-de-Calais department into the North Sea near Gravelines, Nord department.
    2. A small river in the Netherlands, flowing 72 km from near Nederweert, Limburg into the Dieze at 's-Hertogenbosch, North Brabant.
    3. A tributary of the Möhne river in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, part of the Rhine basin.
    4. A tributary of the Nether river in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, part of the Weser basin.
    5. A tributary of the Werre river in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, part of the Weser basin.
  2. A surname from Norwegian.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounan international organization that provides a support group for persons trying to overcome alcoholism

Broader
nongovernmental organizationNGO

nounan associate degree in arts

Similar
Associate in Arts

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

aa · noun

  1. Proto-Polynesian*kaha
  2. Proto-Polynesian*kakaha
  3. Hawaiianʻaʻā
  4. Englishaa

Borrowed from Hawaiian ʻaʻā.

Full word history & related roots →

aa · noun, adjective

Abbreviation.

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aa · adjective

Contraction.

Full word history & related roots →

AA · noun, proper noun, adjective, verb

Abbreviations.

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Aa · proper noun

  1. Proto-West Germanic*ahu“river”
  2. EnglishAa

The river names are ostensibly from Proto-West Germanic *ahu (“river”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans aälawa
  • aälawaa form of lava flow associated with Hawaiian-type volcanoes
Czech PL
  • PLanti-aircraft
Danish apalhraun
  • apalhrauna form of lava flow associated with Hawaiian-type volcanoes
Dutch scherpe lava, aa-lava
  • scherpe lavaa form of lava flow associated with Hawaiian-type volcanoes
  • aa-lavaa form of lava flow associated with Hawaiian-type volcanoes
Estonian aa-laava
  • aa-laavaa form of lava flow associated with Hawaiian-type volcanoes
Finnish aa-laava, IT
  • aa-laavaa form of lava flow associated with Hawaiian-type volcanoes
  • ITanti-aircraft
  • itanti-aircraft
French AA
  • AAAlcoholics Anonymous
German Aa-Lava, Brockenlava
  • Aa-Lavaa form of lava flow associated with Hawaiian-type volcanoes
  • Brockenlavaa form of lava flow associated with Hawaiian-type volcanoes
  • AAAlcoholics Anonymous
Hawaiian ʻaʻā
  • ʻaʻāa form of lava flow associated with Hawaiian-type volcanoes
Icelandic apalhraun
  • apalhrauna form of lava flow associated with Hawaiian-type volcanoes
Irish aa
  • aaa form of lava flow associated with Hawaiian-type volcanoes
Italian àa
  • àaa form of lava flow associated with Hawaiian-type volcanoes
Korean 아아, AA
  • 아아 (aa)a form of lava flow associated with Hawaiian-type volcanoes
  • AAAlcoholics Anonymous
Polish AA, PL
  • AAAlcoholics Anonymous
  • PLanti-aircraft
Cite this entry
APA

aa. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aa

MLA

“aa.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aa. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “aa,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aa.

Source: aa on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.